Get the Best Campervan Insurance for 2024
Did you know that there are around 260,000 campervans in the UK? That makes Britain the second biggest population of campervan drivers in Europe. People are enjoying staycations even more and no wonder with so much of rural England, Scotland and Wales to explore. But whether you are taking the family to Loch Ness or enjoying a romantic couple's weekend in the Lake District, it is important to have the right campervan insurance in place in case anything goes wrong.
In these campervan insurance reviews, we will help you to compare campervan insurance companies, lay out what campervan insurance covers, and how to find cheap campervan insurance in the UK so that you can enjoy your holiday with the luxury of knowing that you'll be looked after if anything goes wrong.
What is caravan insurance?
Campervan insurance is a type of car insurance that protects your campervan in case it is damaged, stolen or if you injure someone else or damage their property. Unlike car insurance, campervan insurance will typically have contents coverage which protects your possessions inside the campervan as well.
Some providers offer additional protections, take a look at the reviews below to see what is offered by the best UK campervan insurers.
Caravan Guard review
Caravan Guard is a specialist insurance provider that caters to campervan owners. Caravan Guard has been operating for over 30 years and has over 100,000 users. It is underwritten by the large insurance provider RSA. Caravan Guard has a 24/7 customer helpline and has a specialised staff whose focus is dealing with campervans.
Caravan Guard is based in Halifax and is a National Caravan Council (NCG) member. You can get a campervan insurance quote online and do applications through the website. Their insurance offers £100,000 in legal expenses, £20 million of public liability cover and a £15,000 personal accident cover.
Think Insurance review
Think Insurance are a British company based in the Midlands which specialises in private and commercial vehicle insurance. They offer good value policies with comparatively low premiums and have been operating for 30+ years.
Think Insurance offers discounts for Motorhome Club members. There are introductory discounts of up to 60% for new customers. They offer a new vehicle replacement service and European breakdown cover for those who want to roam further afield. Adventurous campers will also enjoy the unlimited cover on gas bottles and motorhome awnings as well as the £500 portable generator cover.
Motorhome Protect review
Established in 1974, Motorhome Protect specialises in campervan and horse boxes. They score well on customer service reviews and have discounts and offers for Motorhome Club members.
They offer European breakdown coverage and up to £3,500 in personal effects coverage. Their Unlimited Mileage offering will be of interest to the owners of trusty, oldercampervans as will the 6 months they offer to complete a self-restoration. This is an insurance company for old-school enthusiasts who enjoy taking the long way around and tinkering with their vehicles. Motorhome Protect are veterans too and have a better understanding of the nuances of insuring older campervans than some of their younger competitors.
Sterling Caravan Insurance review
Why is Sterling Insurance so cheap? Sterling works with other insurance providers in order to find the best deal for you and prices start from as low as £90, though the average price is £165. Sterling is ideal for insuring micro campervans and mini trailers with a tailor-made insurance policy called Teardrop Trailer Insurance.
Sterling has a 24/7 customer hotline and is well-reviewed on Trustpilot. Sterling offers up to £40,000 of coverage on loss or damage to your campervan as well as £1 million in public liability insurance. Sterling is ideal for the low-footprint traveller who is camping in one of the new kinds of mini campervan that traditionalist insurers have not adapted their policies to.
Advance Caravan Insurance review
Advance Insurance is an insurance intermediary working in a number of insurance areas including campervans, cars, motorcycles and home insurance. Established in 1929, it has offices across the west of the UK.
Advance offers third-party coverage, European breakdown cover and vehicle contents cover. Its average price for getting your campervan insured is £178 which is higher than some of its competitors. However, its customer service has excellent reviews.
Axa Motorhome Insurance review
Axa is a large multi-national insurance company that also offers campervan insurance. While Axa's size allows it to offer competitive rates there have been reports of a lack of transparency with regard to its fees with some customers being surprised by extra charges once they had already signed up to a policy.
Axa's size means they can offer comparatively larger coverages, for example, they offer up to £25,000,000 to cover any damage you cause to another person's property. Their exclusions are severe however and any damage arising from a fault on your part is likely to disqualify you from any payout.
Good to know
Did you know? Many larger insurance companies do not provide touring campervan insurance as it is too specialised. For example, there is no campervan insurance with Direct Line.
Do I need campervan insurance?
A campervan or trailer that is towed behind another vehicle does not need insurance, though the AA points out that some 4,000 campervans are stolen every year. Even if your campervan is parked at home and secured with an anti-theft device, will that stop a tree branch from falling on it or any other unlucky accident? Even if your car has third-party insurance that covers the campervan while it's being towed, that will not apply at other times. Imagine you park up, detach your campervan and it rolls away knocking down a pub's wall. You would be completely unprotected!
A campervan that has its own engine, that can be driven, will need insurance like any other vehicle on the road. There is a voluntary registration scheme with the Caravan Registration and information Scheme (CRiS). This costs only £15 and can help if you are dealing with an insurance claim if your campervan is stolen.
How much is campervan insurance?
The cost of insuring your campervan will depend on a variety of factors. These will usually be included in the information you have to give to the insurance provider when they are estimating the price of your policy. These factors include:
- Age
- Gender
- Size of campervan
- Years of experience driving a campervan
- Anti-theft features
- Where you park your campervan
- How often you use it
To help give you a rough idea, we have added the average quotes provided to us to a table for your use below.
| Insurance provider | Average cost | Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Caravan Guard | £160.67 | £100,000 motor legal expenses £20 million public liability cover £15,000 personal accident cover |
| Think Insure | £150.82 | £5,000 Personal Effects £100,000 Legal Expenses Cover |
| Sterling | £165 | Up to £3,500 personal effect |
| Advance | £178.10 | £2 million liability |
What types of campervan insurance are there?
There are three main types of UK campervan insurance. We have set them out in the table below in order to inform your choices when choosing your UK caravan insurance company. The type of campervan insurance that you need depends chiefly on what the caravan is used for. We have laid out a table of caravan insurance comparisons below to help you find the best campervan insurance for you.
| Type | Coverage |
|---|---|
| Touring campervan insurance | This covers traditional towed or self-driven campervan |
| Static campervan insurance | This is for temporary or permanent residence campervans |
| Trailer tent and folding campervan insurance | This is for micro-campervan and larger, mobile tent camps |
What is covered by insurance for campervans in the UK?
Campervan insurance can be tailored to your specific needs and most campervan insurance companies offer a raft of add-ons and enhanced protections. However, the AA recommends that a package of basic insurance for a campervan should at least have the protections laid out in the table below.
| Coverage | What it entails |
|---|---|
| Loss or damage cover | This protects you against road accidents |
| New for old | This makes sure you are able to buy a new campervan if yours is wrecked |
| Accidental damage | This protects against damage that happens when towing |
| European touring | This protects you when you are driving outside of the UK |
| Theft | This protects your campervan if it is stolen while parked |
What does insurance for a campervan not cover?
Every insurance policy is different and it is essential that you read a contract carefully, paying particular attention to the list of exclusions so that you avoid any nasty surprises! Most campervan or motorhome insurance policies, however, will contain the following exclusions.
- If you are living permanently in your campervan
- Normal wear and tear and damage caused by the campervan's ageing
- Damage caused by vermin, such as mice and rats
- If you a using a campervan for a business
- If you leave your campervan unlocked you will not be protected against theft
What’s the difference between motorhome and campervan insurance?
Motorhomes and campervans are similar enough to be covered by the same insurance companies but have some key differences! Motorhomes are usually larger. This means they usually have clearly defined separate spaces for living and for driving. They may contain a separate kitchen section or a living space that is separate from the driving cab. Motorhomes are more likely to have a double bed, this will usually be located over the driving cab.
A campervan has a fixed kitchen and living space but will tend to be smaller. You can check your V5C logbook to check if your vehicle is classified as a motor caravan.
Watch out!
A standard van that has a bed or mattress inside it does not qualify as a campervan or a motorhome.
Motorhomes are larger and more expensive and therefore motorhome insurance usually has higher insurance premiums. Since motorhomes are likely to contain more kitchen equipment, a good insurance policy should reflect the value of a motorhome's contents. A campervan may have a cheaper insurance policy and it is less difficult to drive and is generally a cheaper vehicle.
Good to know
Ready to get insured? Use our campervan insurance compare tool at the top of this page to get protected today.
Can you drive a campervan with a normal UK driving license?
Anyone who has a full UK driving license can drive a campervan or caravan weighing up to 3.5 tonnes. If you passed your driving test in 1997 or earlier you can also drive a campervan weighing up to 7.5 tonnes without an additional test.
If you passed your driving license after 1997 and wish to drive a campervan weighing between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes you will need to hold a category C1 license. To qualify for this you will need to have a medical test, you will have to pass three theory exams: a case study, a perception of hazards test, and a multiple-choice theory test. You will then need to take a practical test which costs £115.
If you wish to drive a campervan weighing more than 7.5 tonnes you will need to hold a category C license. You will need to obtain a provisional lorry driving license to qualify for this. You will then need to pass a medical exam and sit a theory test composed of three parts: hazard perception, a case study and a multiple-choice section. Next is a Driving Ability test in which you will need to perform various manoeuvres off-road, answer road safety questions and demonstrate a practical ability to drive a large vehicle with attention paid to speed control, mirror use, safe stopping and vehicle controls. There is a fourth a last part of the test: a practical driving demonstration which can be booked with the DVLA. This test includes driving safety, loading and completing a vehicle safety check. When you have passed these four stages on the test you will be awarded your class C license.
Good to know
Ready to get insured? Use our campervan insurance comparison tool at the top of this page to get protected today.
